Rafael Nadal Set to Make His Return to Tennis in Abu Dhabi

One of the world’s greatest tennis stars, Rafael Nadal, is set to make his return to the sport at the Abu Dhabi exhibition tournament.

Nadal has not played competitive tennis since his loss to Lukas Rosol in the second round of Wimbledon last June. Nadal, 26, has been recovering from a partial tear of his patella tendon in his left knee.

Knee issues have been a big problem as of late for Nadal, causing him to withdrawal from several tournaments, biggest of which was the U.S. Open last summer.

The 11-time Grand Slam champion, currently ranked No. 4 in the world, holds a 42-6 singles record in 2012. The Abu Dhabi tournament, which runs from Dec. 27-29, will allow Nadal to face other tennis stars like Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and David Ferrer.